Review: Drowning (Revitalizing Jane Book 1) by Jenni James

 

Drowning: the brutally honest journey of a divorced mom (Revitalizing Jane Book 1) by Jenni James
Published 2014 by Trifecta
Purchased from Amazon

Description: It’s only been a year since her divorce, so why would Jane Adamson do something as stupid as attempt to date again? Wasn’t her marriage scarring enough? The answer was simple—her kids. They worried about her and wanted to see her happy again.

She needed to be happy . She needed to learn to trust again and feel pretty again and human again.

As a mom of five, it was too easy to hide herself away and focus just on her kids. Who needs men, anyway?

Join Jane in part one of a six-part journey of self-discovery, conquering the past, understanding love, and most importantly … healing, as she finds the woman she once was.

My Review: I haven't been divorced, so I couldn't personally relate to Jane, yet her experience and situation really opened my eyes to what others might go through. True, there are many, many reasons for divorce, but this a reason that occurs more than I'd like to think. 

Ms. James did a fantastic job in bringing emotion and feeling into the story. I love the way it was broken up into real life and flashbacks. Jane is resilient and strong--she has to be to endure what she did and to still be a good mom. Jane's counselor and new friend (dating prospect) were very helpful in her journey and I look forward to more, to really see the complete healing cycle.

Content: Clean, aside from some emotional abuse. 

 

    

About the Author:

I never knew what I was missing when my mom first gave me a collection of Jane Austen's works for Christmas. I believe I was fourteen at the time. One glance at the title Pride and Prejudice and I vowed I would never read the book. But, to be nice I placed it on my 'favorites' shelf; and there it sat for approximately two and a half years. Every month or so Mom would ask me if I had read it yet, and guiltily I would reply, "No. One day I will."

Then low and behold, the summer I was sixteen I had completely exhausted EVERY book I owned and almost all of my siblings' books, as well. (There were 5 siblings--not an easy feat I tell you!) With a desperate case of boredom and hair-pulling-cabin-fever anxiety, I finally, grudgingly brought down the book. I went ahead and started with Pride and Prejudice, just to prove to myself it wasn't worth the time.

One and a half days later, I finished. Sleep deprived, hungry and exhausted, but I finished! It was officially the first book I couldn't put down! It was SO amazing! Afterwards, I devoured every one of Jane Austen's novels, and I haven't stopped since.

Now, as my own daughter gets closer to this wonderfully draining attempt at teenhood, I wanted to share the same stories with her, but in a way she can relate to. I began to rewrite (More like channel) Pride & Popularity in the middle of March and was finished in just 6 weeks! All 25 chapters. It was such an amazing experience. Before I had even begun the long editing process new characters started to talk to me and hound me into writing their stories too.

I have 7 rambunctious kiddos and live in sunny New Mexico. When I'm not chasing my kids around the house, I'm dreaming of new amazing stories to write!